In some instances of erectile impotence in which the patient does not respond to more conventional therapy, the surgical implanting of a penile prosthesis may be the only practical means of remedying the impotency.
In the past, several types of penile prostheses have been employed. The first type is a pair of rods of suitable stiffness each of which is surgically implanted into a corpus cavernosum of the penis. One disadvantage of the rod-type implant is that the stiffness of the rods makes it difficult to implant rods of sufficient diameter in a flaccid penis so that the penis in the erectile state will have a normal girth. The sleeve prosthesis disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,350 is an attempt to overcome that disadvantage.
The other type of penile prosthesis which is available is the inflatable prosthesis. The most common inflatable prosthesis includes two fairly long, inflatable, distensible tubes that are surgically implanted in the corpora cavernosa of the penis. Each of the two tubes is connected by tubing to a pressure bulb of inflating fluid which is implanted elsewhere in the body. The distensible tubes are collapsible so that they can be easily implanted and they can be inflated to increase the girth of the penis to that attained in a normal erection. However, because of the large volume required to pressurize and rigidize the inflatable tubes, the pressure bulbs can be relatively large. In the prosthesis of U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,102, the pressure bulbs are relatively small but there is a single relatively large reservoir which is implanted in the abdominal cavity.
Another type of inflatable penile prosthesis that can result in increased girth is that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,711. It comprises two implants each having its own relatively large, pressurizing bulb which is surgically implanted in the scrotal sac. Each implant includes a non-distensible stem made of a relatively stiff material to support the implant and an integral, collapsible, balloon-like distensible portion which is implanted into the corpora of the pendulous penis and inflated with the pressure bulb to affect an erection.
Still another type of penile prosthesis that can be used to increase girth is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,202. It is a combination of a rod-type implant with an inflatable sleeve which is attached about the rod to form an inflatable chamber. A pressure bulb is connected to the chamber by tubing for inflating the chamber.
In Finney U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,985 an implant is disclosed which is implanted to increase the girth of a flaccid penis so that it will retain a urinary collection device. The implant is provided with a wall of resealable material so that fluid can be introduced into the implant with a cannula.
Recently, several inflatable penile prostheses for curing impotency have become commercially available which can be implanted completely in the penis. The prostheses basically comprise a pair of cylindrical implants each containing a pump, a reservoir and a pressure chamber. The pressure chambers are non-distensible so that only small amounts of fluid are needed to be transferred from the reservoirs to make them rigid. These inflatable prostheses provide many advantages over prior art implants, but they do not increase the girth of the penis. Representative of such prostheses are those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,399,811 and 4,590,927.
It obviously would be desirable to have a penile prosthesis in which the girth of the penis could be increased and preferably adjusted.